Caring Hands Caregivers
Caring Hands Caregivers
21730 Stevens Creek Boulevard
Suite 201-C
Cupertino, CA 95014
​
Call 408.775.7626
  • Home
    • Values
  • Services
    • HomeCareOptions
  • Clients
    • Choosing a Caregiver Agency
    • Care and Communication Plan
  • Team
    • Caregivers
    • Partners
    • Answers
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Partners & Resources
  • Honor Care Network Partner

Six Travel Tips for Seniors

6/11/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
Whether traveling to see relatives or just going on a summer vacation, traveling with the seniors in your life can be very rewarding.  To prepare, we've come up with a few tips on how to cherish the time you have together.
1)  Plan thoroughly
Whether going on an outing by car, or on a trip by train or plane, think through the plan for the day, including meal stops, restroom breaks, and rest time
2)  Research Senior Discounts
When planning your itinerary, make sure to book flights using senior discounts.  When you arrive, make sure to find restaurants that cater to seniors.
3)  Allow extra time
Nothing creates stress like rushing to catch a train or make a reservation.  Make sure to allow more time than you think you need to get ready for each outing.
4)  Bring a deck of cards
When you allow extra time, sometimes you'll have time on your hands.  Playing cards are compact, and can allow for multiple people, even from different generations, to engage in the same activity.
5)  Consolidate travel documents
Make sure that all of the travel documents are organized by date, consolidated, and easy to access in carry-on baggage.
6)  Pack light
You may need to help seniors with their bags, so it is especially important that you all pack only what you need.  


0 Comments

Tips for Dealing with Aging Parents' memories

5/16/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
As Linda Bernstein mentioned in her article, 8 Things Not to Say to Your Aging Parents, dealing with aging parents as their memory fades can prove frustrating.  Despite our best efforts, we sometimes lose patience while listening to the same stories over and over, trying to track when conversations 'go rogue', and teaching the same skills repeatedly.  

Here are a few tips that we've learned, while caring for older adults, for how to handle these situations in a loving and compassionate way. 

When hearing the same story for the umpteenth time
Say "I remember you saying that before, which lead to..."  This lets them know that you've listened to them, and allows them to leap forward and add additional details or a relevant connection to the current conversation.

When teaching a technology skill
Instead of just showing the skill once, create a document with screen shots that can be referred back to when your parent attempts the task on their own.

When reminding about a name or elusive word
Ask them for a description instead of the exact word or name.  Often, they can come up with "Edith's son", but not the name.  Or, they can come up with the usage of a spatula, for example, but not the label.

I hope that these suggestions help you to turn your best intentions into reality when dealing with your aging parents.

0 Comments

Governor Brown vetoes AB889

10/4/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
Today, we applaud Governor Brown for vetoing the bill dubbed, misleadingly, the "Domestic Workers Bill of Rights" (see our blog from 8/29, "Why we oppose AB889").  

In his decision, Governor Brown aptly asks, "What will be the economic and human impact on the disabled or elderly person and their family of requiring overtime, rest and meal period for attendants who provide 24 hour care?"  He went on to ask, "What would be the additional costs and what is the financial capacity of those taking care of loved ones in the last years of life."  

The Governor poses some appropriate questions that require further study before enacting a mandate.  Some other questions to answer:
*  How would domestic workers be protected if you cannot find them?  The bill would've taken the live-in care industry underground, making workers more vulnerable.
*  How would families be protected if a caregiver were injured on the job?  When caregivers are hired directly by families, the family does not typically pay for worker's compensation insurance.  That provides little recourse for the caregiver to get back lost wages, and makes the family vulnerable to litigation.

At Caring Hands Caregivers, our caregivers are our heart and soul.  We make sure that they are paid fairly, are insured, and are protected from abuse.  Our obligation to our clients AND to our caregivers is to provide great care.

0 Comments

Giving Family Caregivers a Break

9/19/2012

0 Comments

 
I had the honor of co-presenting at the Ninth Annual Avenidas Caregiving Conference last weekend, along with Sue Alvey (Avenidas Rose Kleiner Center) and Cathy Lynch (Pathways).  Our session, "Day Breaks", focused on how Home Care, Home Health, and Day Health can help family caregivers avoid burnout by providing much needed breaks during the day. 

During our presentation, we reviewed our resource table (download here), illustrating the defining the services, qualification criteria, and payment options for Home Care, Home Health, and Day Health.  We illustrated how the different services can be used in tandem using the following sample case study (written by Sue Alvey):

"Mrs. J is 93-years-old, and lives in her own home.  Her daughter lives with her and works part-time.  Mrs. J has fallen twice at home.  After each fall, she has become a little more confused and needs more help getting around.

Mrs. J's doctor recommended working with a HOME HEALTH agency to provide Physical and Occupational Therapy. The therapies will help strengthen her muscles and improve her balance.  However, the daughter realized that she cannot leave her mother at home alone while she works. She’s also having trouble navigating the logistics of helping her mother bathe. 

A friend recommended that she call a HOME CARE agency to help with personal care.  The caregiver helps the daughter to keep an eye on Mrs. J. and keeps her safe at home.  The caregiver was able to watch her sessions with the physical therapist and now helps follow through on her exercises. The work on puzzles and go out for ice cream as a special treat.

The social worker at the Home Health agency suggested that the daughter consider a Senior DAY HEALTH Program for her mother.  There she could benefit from social interactions with her peers and mentally stimulating activities.  Nurses and physical therapists there would continue to monitor her health.  Physical and occupational therapists could take over after the Home Health Agency therapists have finished up.  She could benefit from both HOME CARE and Senior DAY HEALTH by alternating days when these services are provided."

At Caring Hands Caregivers, we are always happy to recommend the appropriate service for the appropriate set of needs, whether or not you hire a Caring Hands caregiver.  Call us at 650.943.2313 to find out how to best combine these services to fit your particular needs.

0 Comments

    Author

    Scott Stanley is the Owner of Caring Hands Caregivers, a Bay Area caregiver agency focused on preserving dignity through quality in-home care. 

    You can reach Scott by email to scott@chcgivers.com.

    Picture
    Contact Scott

    Categories

    All
    Alzheimers
    Assisted Living
    Caregiver Agency
    Caring Hands Caregivers
    Dementia
    Eldercare
    End Of Life
    Family Caregiving
    Home Care Costs
    Hospice
    In Home Care
    Live-in Care
    Parkinson's
    Respite Care
    Scott Stanley
    Senior Support
    Values

    Archives

    November 2017
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    February 2013
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    November 2011

    Receive Updates

Our Services

Live-in Care
Hourly Care
Respite Care
Getting Started



Our Company

Caring Hands Difference
Our Team
Contact Us

Careers
Home Care Blog
​

Licensed in the state of CA
​HCA License # 434700059

Proud members of:

Picture
Picture
HomeCare Association of America